Manufacture of footwear and leather



H. R. PERRY MANUFACTURE 0F FOOTWEAR AND LEA'THER Aug. 3 1926.

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Aug. 3,1926.lv 1,594,688

H. R. PERRY MANUFACTURE on FOOTWEAR AND LEATHER Filed July 1v 1925 s sheets-sheet 2 1 D 6W 7/ w F?? I 7 fg v w Expl Aug. 3 1926.

' 1,594,688 H. R. PERRY MANUFACTURE oF FOOTWEAR AND LEATHER Fiieduly 17, 1925 3 sheets-sheet s f7 Ue 7 L 0 7 Hwrolaj Pa?" 71g Patented Aug. 3, 1926.

oFF's.

HAROLD R. PERRY, DF SWAMPSCOTT, MSSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 THE LAMSUN OF SYBCUSE, NEW YORK, A. CORPGRATON 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

ANUJFACTUR 0F IlGOTWER AND LEATHER.

AApplication filed July 1'?, 1925. Serial No.. 44,259.

4 rlhis invention relates to the manufacture of leather and footwear, for example hides, skins and shoes, and more particularly to a process of and an apparatus for conditioning partially completed shoes intermediate certain of the usual mechanical operations performed in the course of manufacture.

'llo facilitate performance of certain of the 4earlier mechanical operations in the manufacture of shoes and the like it is necessary first to moisten or dampen the soles and sometimes other parts of the shoe in order that the leather may have the requisite pliability. operations, for example edge making, buffing, and so forth, can not be performed to advantage When the shoes contain excess moisture, there being a certain substantially definite moisture content which is best for the performance of each operation or group of operations. l

rlhe regulation of the moisture content preparatory to these latter operations is commonly termed conditioning and has usually been accomplished with 11o-,attempt at real accuracy by allowing the shoes to stand in the Workroom until by feel or appearance they were deemed sufficiently dry. Ubviously this mode of procedure is extremely inaccurate, being affected by the natural humidity of the room at any `given time and the length of time which the shoes are permitted to stand. This time isvoften cut vshort by limitation of Hoor spaces for storage, or haste of the Workman to start his particular operation.

In accordance with the present invention, l am able accurately to control the moisture content of the shoe as it is delivered to each operator or department, subtracting or adding moisture as may be necessary and'at the same time greatly facilitating the several manufacturing operations by presenting the conditioned shoes to each Workman in succession, t-he racks of shoes being moved automatically from the conditioning points and from one operator to the next so that the necessary floor space is reduced to a minimum and 'there is no excess accumula-- tion of unfinished shoes at anyone point.

Since leather contracts .in drying, shoes cannot be dried evenly or properly by subjecting them suddenly to hot and thoroughly dry air, since the hot air immediately closes the pores of the leather, thus enclosing the @n the other hand, certain later underlying moisture which can then escape only with difficulty. In accordance with the present process the degree of moisture of the air employed for dryingthe shoes is so regulated that While it has a desiccating action, such action is not violent but gentle and prolonged, permitting the moisture gradually to seep out from the interior of the leather and thus producing a uniform and approximately ideal drying action.

Shoes are commonly manufactured incase lots which are kept separate and distinct from one another during the process of manufacture and for this reason the shoes are usually placed upon Wheeled racks for transportation from one operator to the next. 'lhe apparatus here provided for use in the practice of my improved process is designed primarily for handling shoes mounted upon these wheeled racks, but in its broader aspects the invention is not limited in this respect since the shoes might conceivably be piled in boxes carried by the conveyor or alternatively they might be placed directl upon the travelling conveyor herein illustrated or upon or in a moving conveyor of other suitable type.

Moreover, the `invention is not necessarily Sil limited as respects the specific vmechanical operations performed upon the shoes either.

ratus shown inv Fig. 1, but to smaller scale and developed in a straight line;

Fig. 3 is 4a fragmentary diagrammatic plan view tolarger scale showing a pre'- ferred arrangement of conveyor devices at the Working level;

. Fig. l is a fragmentary section substantially on the line 4 4; of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one of the elevating conveyors leading to one of the upper levels of the apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating devices for conditioning the air used for drying purposes at one stage of the operation' Fig. 7 is a similar perspective view showing means for conditioning the air at anot er stage of the operation;

Fig.Y 8 is a fragmentary vertical section substantially on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section illustrating a supplementary device which may be em ployed if desired for increasing or decreasing the moisture in the air used 1n the process;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating a modification;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section substantially on the line 11--11 of Fig. 10 but to larger scale; and

Figs. 12 and 13 are views similar to Fig. 11 but illustrating modified arrangements.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 (Fig. 2) indicates the fioor level of the Workroom in which the process is carried out, while the numeral 2 designates an inclined elevating conveyor, preferably of the endless belt or chain type, leading to an upper level where a substantially horizontal endless conveyor 3 is arranged. The receiving end of the conveyor 3 is disposed within an elongate open ended'housing 4 constructed of any suitable material, preferably of a heat insulating character. As indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 the inclined conveyor 2 is adapted to move shoe racks 5 from the floor level 1 up into the housing 4 where they are deposited upon the conveyor 3 as indicated at 6 (Fig. 2 and are caused to move longitudinally t rough the housing upon the conveyor 3.

After emerging from the housing 4 the conveyor 3 continues for a considerable distance, as indicated at 7, at the upper level, the length of the conveyor 3 outside of the housing 4 being sufficient to accommodate a very considerable number of shoe racks, indicated for example at 8.

From the end of the horizontal conveyor 3 a gravity conveyor 9 leads down substantially to the floor level where it delivers the racks to a substantially horizontal conveyor 10. This conveyor 10 extends along that portion of the workroom where certain mechanical operations are performed upon the shoes. AIn accordance with this invention these operations are performed at spaced points along the side of the conveyor 10, the operations known as heeling, heel trimming, edge trimming and edge setting being clted as illustrative of operations which may well be carried out at this point.

A rack supporting platform, preferablyr an endless normally stationary but freely movable belt, hereinafter referred to as a working conveyor, having its upper surface substantially in the same plane as that of the conveyor 10, is disposed closely adjacent to the conveyor 10 at each of the operating points, these short working conveyors 11, 12, 13, 14, etc., being adapted to receive the racks of shoes from the conveyor l0 and to support them within convenient reach of the operators machine.

In the preferred arrangement a1' additional endless constantly moving conveyor 15 is disposed at the opposite side of the belt 10 from the working conveyors. The upper run of the conveyor 15 is also substantially in the plane of the conveyor 10 and closely adjacent to the latter and this conveyor 15 extends continuously from the first working station to the last Working station.

In order to stop the shoe racks, traveling upon the conveyor 10, in convenient position so that they may be moved over on to the platform or working conveyors at the respective working stations. I prefer to provide fixed abutments such forexample as bars 16, 16a, etc. disposed at intervals along the conveyor 10 in the path of the racks. As indicated in Fig. 1 a stop 16, 16, etc. is preferably arranged adjacent to each alter-nate working station, for example opposite to the working conveyors 11, 13, etc.

`I also provide stops such as 18, 18, etc.,

associated with the conveyor 15, and arranged adjacent to those conveyors 12, 14, etc. which alternate with the conveyors at which the stops 16, 16, etc. are provided.

As indicated in Fig. 1, a shoe rack 17 moving along on the conveyor 10 is first brought to rest by engagement with the stop 16 at a point opposite to the first station. An operator at this station may then pull this rack forwardly ^on to the short working conveyor 11 at this station so that it remains as indicated at 17a adjacent to his machine while he performs the usual operation upon the shoes.

, When this operation upon all of the shoes on the rack has been completed the operator at the first station pushes the rack rearwardly across the conveyor 10 on to the conveyor 15 which immediately carries the rack onward until it engages the stop 18 opposite to the second station, coming to rest in the position indicated at 19. An operator at thel second station may now pull the rack 19 forwardly on to the working conveyor or platform 12 into the position indicated for example at 19a where the mechanical operations may be performed in the usual manner. The operator at this station then pushes the rack back on to the conveyor l() Where it moves along and comes to rest against the stop 16a opposite to the third station. The racks are thus moved one working station /to the next until the lac till

several operations in this department have been completed.

At the end of the conveyor 10 the racks are picked up as indicated at 20, preferably by an inclined elevating conveyor Y21 similar tothe conveyor 2, and are again lifted to the upper level Where they are received by a horizontal conveyor 22 disposed within an elongate open ended housing 23 similar to the housing 4 but of substantially twice the length of the latter. A rack 24 is shown resting upon the conveyor 22 within the housing 23. From the end of the housing 23 a gravity conveyor 25 carries'the rack, for example the rack 26, downward to the working level where it is received by a horizontal conveyor 27. This conveyor 27 extends along that part of the workroom at'l which certain later mechanical operations are carried out; for example the operations of heel scouring, sole buiiing and sole finishing, may be performed at this point.

Preferably platforms or working conveyors 28 are arranged adjacent to the conveyor run 27 corresponding to each of the several operations to be performed and a constantly moving conveyor 29 is disposed at the opposite side of the conveyor 27 from the platforms 28.

In the preferred arrangementthe conveyor 27 is provided with stops 30`corresponding to the stops 16 previously described adapted to arrest racks of shoes at the point 32 for example from whichthey may be pulled over on to the working conveyor 28 and brought to rest as indicated at 32a. The conveyor 29 is also provided with the stops 31, corresponding to the previously described stops 18, which stop shoe racks' as indicated at 33 so that they may be pulled over onto the working conveyor 28 and come to rest at the point indicated at` 33. From the end of the conveyor 27 the racks of shoes may be delivered on to the floor, if desired, or to another conveyor by means of which they may be transferred to succeeding operators.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the numeral 34 designates an air intake conduit provided, if desired, with an indicating instrument 35 adapted to show heat or moisture conditions, or both, of the air entering the intake. The intake 34 leads to a heater device 36 which may be provided with steam coils or other suitable heating apparatus and from this heater the air is conducted by means of a conduit 37 to a fan casing 38 containing a power driven fan adapted to draw the air in through the intake 34 and to deliver it through a conduit 39 to the outlet end of the housing 23. The air entering the housing 23 moves longitudinally of the latter in op-1 position to the movement ofthe conveyor' 22. In order to prevent the 'air enterlng through the conduit 39 from escaping directly from the discharge end A of the housing 23, such discharge end may, if desired, be provided with a depending curtain or other form of automatic closure adapted substantially to close such end except when a shoe rack is leaving the housing, and the conduit 39 is causedto enter the housing in such a manner as to direct the air current toward the opposite end of the housing.

From the entrance end B of the housing 23 an air conduit 40 leads to a point adjacent to the delivery end C of the housing 4. Preferably the conduit 40 communicates withapipe 41 (Fig. 8) having a lateral discharge nozzle 42 controlled by a valve 43. The pipe 41 leads to a conduit 44 having an intake 45 controlled by a valve 46.

The conduit 44 is preferably provided with an indicating instrument 22EL for determining the temperature, moisture content, etc. of the air and leads to a heater device 47 having suitable steam coils or other heating devices enclosed therein. From the heater 47 a conduit 48 leads to a fan casingv 49 containing a power driven fan adapted to withdraw air from the casing 23 and to discharge it into the delivery end C of the casing 4. rlFhe delivery end of the casing 4 may, if desired, be provided with a curtain to prevent free escape of air therefrom and to cause the air which enters the casing to move longitudinally of the latter in opposition to the movement of the conveyor 3 and to discharge from the entrance end D of the casing 4 through asuitable conduit 50a. If desired, a fan. (not shown) may be associated With the conduitl 50'al to assist in maintaining a proper flow of air through the casing 4.

In order to provide for more accurate and certain conditioning of the air, apparatus of the general type shown for example in Fig. 9 may be provided, such apparatus being associated either with the intake conduit 34,

-or with the conduit 40, or both, as may be desired. rlihis supplementary conditioning apparatus comprises a` casing -51 having a sprinkler head 52 adapted to deliver 'a spray of water, either warm or cool, for moisteningk the air, and the air from this casing passes through a conduit l53 to a casing 54 containing a condensing coil 55 through which a cooling. medium, for example water, ammonia gas or the like,'1nay be caused to flow. rlhe lower end of the casing may be provided with a drain 56 for conveying away condensing moisture from thev4 casing 54. A conduit 57 conducts-the air either to the conduit 34 or to the conduit 41. Preferably an indicating instrument 58 is associated with the conduit 57. It will be understood that in using the apparatus shown in Fig. 9 the condensing coil. 55 and the spray head 52 will be used alternatively for drying or for moistening the air, respectively.

The several conveyors employed in the apparatus are preferably of endless chain type and the inclined elevatingr conveyors are furnished at intervals with cross bars 59 adapted to engage the racks and to push them upwardly to the higher level. The horizontal conveyors are preferably of the roller type, comprising spaced chains connected by freely turning rollers which4 collectively form the floor or supporting surfface of the conveyor. Such conveyors being common and well known it is unnecessary to describe them in detail herein,it being understood that the supporting chains which, carry the rollers Iare usually mounted to run in fixed guide rails or channels carried by suitable supports.

Referring to Fig. 10 a modified arrangement is disclosed for stopping the racks at the working stations. In this view the numeral 2a indicates a run of a conveyor, corresponding to the conveyor 10 hereinbefore described, extending along the workroom near the floor. The numerals 11El and 12a indicate two of the short working conveyors or movable platforms upon which the racks of shoes remain at rest while mechanical opf erations are being performed. v

In accordance with this modified arrangement, a defiector 60 is arranged in inclined relation across the conveyor 2a at a point substantially opposite to the middle of each of the working conveyors 11a, 12, etc.

Sinceas above referred to it is preferred to employ a conveyor of the roller type, the provision of these inclined deflectors is not of itself sufficient to deflect the racks on to y the working conveyors 11a, 12a, etc. since the conveyor rolls turn freely relatively to the rack when the latter engages the deflector and insufficient force is developed to move the rack laterally.

To assist the deflectors in switching the racks laterally from the conveyor 2a, a cam plate 63 (Fig. 11) may be provided beneath the conveyor in the neighborhood of the def flector 60 -so as t-o lift thevconveyor slightly and cause its rolls to drag over the upper surface of the cam plate. The simultaneous engagement of the rolls with the lower surface of the rack and the upper surface of the cam plate results in the automatic lat? eral deflection of the rack from the conveyor so that it comes to rest upon the adjacent working conveyor or platform without making it necessary for the operator to move the rack manually. TVhen operation upon the shoes on the rack has been completed, the rack is pushed rearwardly on to the conveyor 2a and travels along the latter until it is deflected by the next succeeding, deflector 60.

In Fig. l2 a modification of the arrangement shown, in Fig. 11 is illustrated in which, in place of the cam plate 63 which lifts the conveyor, the conveyor is permitted to drop slightly below its normal level in the neighborhood of its deflector G0. This sagging of the conveyor may be permitted by omitting the guide rails for the conveyor chains in the neighborhood of the. deector, thus permitting the conveyor rolls to drop down into engagement with a contact plate 64 which, like the cam plate 63 above described, retards the rolls of the conveyor and thus develops a lateral thrust Isuiiicient to move the rack from the conveyor 2at to the adjacent working conveyor.

In Fig. 13 a still further modification is illustrated in which the conveyor is provided with the usual freely turning rolls 62 throughout the greater part of its length, but is provided at intervals with groups of rolls 63 which are not free to turn. When one of the latter groups of rolls passes bcneath one of the deflectors 60 it forces a rack then engaging the deflector laterally from off the conveyor on to the adjacent,

working conveyor or platform.

The operation of the apparatus above described is substantially asV follows, it being understood that the invention is not in any way limited to the exact proportions of parts hereinabove described or to their precise relative arrangement or to the details of construction employed, particularly as to the type of conveyor which is used for moving the racks of shoes throughout the various stages of the process.

Under usual conditions, the shoes arriving at the elevating conveyor 2 contain from 28% to 35% moisture by weight. The shoes move along on the conveyor 3 through the chamber 4 and then out on to the open horizontal conveyor run 7 where they are eX- posed to the room atmosphere for a considerable length of time. During the passage of the shoes through the housing or chamber 4 the moisture content is reduced approximately to 22% by weight and while the shoes are passing slowly along the run 7 of the conveyor the moisture still remaining in theme distributes itself withv substantial uniformity. The shoes are now in condition to be operated upon at the working stations 11, 12, ctc. where operations are carried out which are best performed with a moisture content of approximately 22%.

The shoes then pass up the elevated conveyor 21 into the chamber 23 where their moisture content is reduced to from 10% to 15% by weight, which substantially represents the chemically enclosed moisture of the leather so that shoes emerging from the chamber 23 maybe considered to be completely dry. The slices emerging from the housing 23 are now in proper condition for the finishing operations, including heell and Without danger of injury to the leather.

scouring, sole buling, etc.

For reducing the moisture content of the shoes, as above described, air is drawn in by the fan 38 through the intake 34 and after being heated to the desired temperature is delivered into the discharge end of the housing 23, y

When under unusual atmospheric conditions, as for example Where the air is unduly moist and it is difficult to produce the desired desiccating action without unduly increasing the temperature, a condensing apparatus such as shown in Fig. 9'may be arranged at the inlet 34 so as to reduce the moisture content of the entering air. On the other hand, if the entering air be unduly dry the moistening apparatus also shown in Fig. 9 may be utilized.

As the conditioned air passes longitudi-y nally through the relatively long housing 23 it absorbs moisture from the shoes travellinof in the opposite direction so that the air delivered through the discharge conduit 40 carries a substantial amount of moisture. This air which is delivered by the conduit 40 to the pipe 41 may contain a greater or lesser amount of moisture than is desired for treating the shoes in the housing 4. To regulate the moisture content of the air entering the housing 4 the valves 43 and 46 may be'manipulated so as to discharge a part or all of the moist air and to take a corresponding quantity of atmospheric air. If desired, an apparatus such as shown in Fig. 9 may be provided at this point to permit of a greater variation in moisture conditions than can be produced by mere admixture of atmospheric air.

ln any case it is preferred to admit air containing a fairly high degree of moisture to the outlet end Q of theicasing 4, since undue rapidity of drying tends to close the surface pores of the leather and thus make more difficult the later drying operations.V

The air which enters the discharge end C of the housing 4 moves in opposition to the shoes which enter the other end of the housing and since the shoes at this time are' quite Wet, this air, although carrying a considerable amount of moisture absorbed from the y relatively dry shoes in housing 23, is capable of reducing the moisture in the Wet shoes in housing 4'substantially to 22% by Weight as above described.

In the above process the driest air comes in contact With the driest shoes and as the air gradually absorbs moisture itv comes in lcontact with shoes Which are progressively more and more moist so that the relative capability of the air to absorb moisture from the shoes is substantially uniform throughout the entire process. A very considerable economy in heat is obtained in this manner While the shoes are more uniformly dried Since throughout the entire process the shoes are moved mechanically from point to point there is no chance of congestion or undue exposure ofthe shoes to drying conditions such as may render them unfit for the performance of the various mechanical operations involved in the process of manufacture.

While it is found that the unenclo'sed elevated run 7 of the conveyor is permissible and useful under .ordinary circumstances for permitting the shoes to mull, it is contemplated that this run of the conveyor may, if desired, be enclosed and that the moisture conditions therein may be regulated definitely and in any desired manner.

Whilein describing the above apparatus reference has been made to racks for supporting the shoes it is to be understood that the term rack has been used merely for convenience in description and that any other suitable holders or containers for the shoes may be substituted therefor or that by provision of conveyors of the roper type the shoes may be placeddirectiy upon the conveyors and removed therefrom by the Workmen inI performing the various mechanical operations.

Moreover, although certain portions of the path of movement of the shoe racks have been shown and described as at a higher level than other parts of said path, this specific arrangement is intended merely to save floor space and is not essential to the invention, since the parts involved are independent of the path-of travel of the shoes which may be at the same level on a continuous incline from end to end or of any other suitable profile or contoiir.

1. That process which comprises as steps passing air in moisture transferring relation to shoes at a relatively late stage in the process of manufacture .whereby to abstract moisture from the shoes, and passing the thus moistened air inmoisture transferring relation to shoes at an earlier stage in the process of manufacture.

2. That process which comprises as steps passing a desiccating air current in moisture transferring relation to shoes at a stage in the vprocess 'of manufacture where the shoes are. relatively dry, and thereafter passing the thus moistened air in moisture transferring relation to shoes at a stage of the process of manufactureat which they are relatively Wet. i

3. That process which com rises as steps subjecting;` partially complete shoes having soles containing approximately 28% moisture by Weight to the action of a desiccating body of air to reduce the moisture content of the soles to approximately 22% by Weight,

las.,

after again subjecting the shoes to a desiccating body of air to reduce the moisture content of the soles approximately to 15% by-Weight.

4. A process of the character described comprising as steps moving partially completed shoes in a predetermined path and subjecting such shoes While moving along a predetermined part of such path to a desiccating body of air containing a predetermined percentage of moisture.

5. A process of the character described comprising as steps moving partially completed shoes in a predetermined path and subjecting such shoes While moving along a part at least of said path to a current of air moving in the opposite direction, said air being at a temperature higher than that of the atmosphere and having a predetermined moisture content sufficient to prevent surface drying of the shoes..

6. AA process of the character described comprising as steps moving partially completed shoes in a predetermined path and causing the same body of air, heated to a temperature above that of the atmosphere, to pass in the form of a current in moisture transferring relation to the shoes a plurality of times as the latter move along said path. 7. A process of the character described comprising as steps movino partially completed shoes in a predetermined path, creating a current of heated air, passing such current in moisture transferring relation to shoes moving along a part of said path, supplying additional heat to said air current, and passing the reheated current in moisture transferring relation to yshoes moving along another part of said path.

8. A process of the character described comprising as steps moving partially comleted shoes in a predetermined path, subjecting the shoes While moving along a part of said path to a desiccating body of air of a certain moisture content, thereafter subjecting the shoes to latmospheric air for a determined period, and then subjecting the shoes to a desiccating body of air of a predetermined and lesser moisture content than said first body of air.

9. A process of the character described comprising as steps moving partially completed shoes in a predetermined path and bringing the same body of air into moisture transferring relation to the shoes a plurality of times and in opposition to the direction of movement of the shoes as the latter move along said path.

10. A process of the Character described comprising as steps moving partially completed shoes in a predetermined path, creating a desiccating air current having a substantially constant moisture content, passing said air current in moisture transferring relation to shoes moving along said path,

permitting said shoes to pass along a subsequent part of said path While freely open to the atmosphere whereby to permit gradual equalization of moisture distribution in the leather, performing a mechanical operation upon such shoes, and thereafter passing the shoes in moisture transferring relation to air having a predetermined moisture content less than that of the air current to which they were first subjected.

11. A process of the character described comprising as steps moving partially completed shoes in a predetermined path, creating an air current, passing such air current in moisture transferring relation to shoes as they move along a predetermined part of the said path, and again passing the same current of air in moisture transferrin relation'to shoes moving along said path ut at an earlier part of the path of movement of the shoes.

12. A process of the character described comprisingas steps moving partially completed shoes in a predetermmed path, creating an air current, passing such air current in moisture transferring relation to shoes traversing a `predetermined part of said path,pdiverting such air current from the path of the shoes, raising the temperature of the diverted current, and thereafter bringing the heated current again into moisture transferring relation to the shoes moving along said path but at an earlier part of the path of movement of the shoes than that at Which the first moisture transfer took place.

13. A process of the character described comprising as steps moving partially completed shoes in a predetermined path, creating an air current, passing such air current 1n moisture transferring relation to shoes traversing a predetermined part of said path, diverting such air current from the path of the shoes, performing a mechanical operation upon the shoes, and again passing the same air current in moisture transferring relation to the shoes.

14. A process of the character described comprising as ste-ps moving partially Icompleted shoes ina predetermined path, creating an air current, passing such air current in moisture transferring relation to shoes traversing a predetermined part of the said path, diverting such air current from the path of the shoes, ad'usting the moisture content of such diverte air to a predetermined degree, and again passing substantially the same air in moisture transferring relation to the shoes.

15. A process of the character described comprising as steps movin partially completed shoes ina' predetermined path, creating an air current, passing such air current in moisture transferring relation to shoes traversing` a predetermined part of said path, diverting such air current from the lao path of the slices, adding atmospheric air to such diverted air current to adjust its moisture content to a predetermined degree, and again passing said air current in moisture transferring relation to the shoes.

16. A process of the character described comprising 'as steps moving partially completed shoes in a predetermined path, creating an air current, passing such air current in moisture transferring relation to shoes traversing' a predetermined part of said path, diverting such air current from the path of the shoes, adjusting the moisture content ot' such diverted air to a predetermined degree, heating such air, and again passing said air current in moisture transferring relation to the shoes.

17. Apparatus of the class described comprising a plurality of-housings constituting conditioning chambers, means for transferring air from a first chamber to a second chamber, and means for-moving partially completed shoes first through the latter chamber and thereafter through the rst 4 chamber.

- prising a plurality of housings constituting conditioning chambers, means for regulating the moisture content of air withdrawn from one of said chambers and for delivering it to another chamber, and means'for moving partially completed shoes first through the latter chamber and then through the rst cham ber. f

l 20. Apparatus of the class described coinprising a plurality of housings constituting conditioning chambers, means for delivering heated air to one of said chambers, means for then heating and delivering air withdrawn from the latter chamber to another chamber, and meansmfor moving partially completed shoes through the latter chamber land thereafter through the rst named chamer. i

21. Apparatus of the class described comprising a plurality of housings constituting conditioning chambers, means delivering air capable of absorbing moisture to one of said chambers, means for withdrawing air from the latter chamber and for delivering it to another chamber, and means for moving partially completed shoes first through the latter chamber and thereafter through the first chamber.

22..,Apparatus ofthe class described comrising a plurality of elongate open' 'ended ousings, means for delivering air from the end of one housing to the end of another housing, means for moving partially'completed shoes through the latter housing and thereafter through the first housing, the direction of movement of the shoes through each housing being opposite to the direction of movement of the air through such housing.

23. `Apparatus of the class described coniprising a moving conveyor for shoe racks, said conveyor passing successively through a plurality of elongate spaced chambers,means for delivering moisture absorbent air to thatend of the last. of said chambers from which the conveyor emerges, means for conducting air from the other end of said last chamber to that end of thevnext chamber from which the conveyor emerges, and means permittin suoli air to discharge from the opposite en of the latter chamber. l

24. Apparatus ofthe class described comprising a moving conveyor for shoe racks, said conve or passing successively through two space elongate conditioning chambers, means for delivering heated air to the con veyor exit end of the secondchamber, means for withdrawing air from the opposite end of the latter chamber and delivering it to the conveyor exit end of the rst chamber, and

' means for heating the air in its passage from one chamber to the other.

25. Apparatus of the class described comprising a movingconveyor for shoe-racks, said conveyor having an inclined run connecting a horizontal run at the working level with an elevated run, an elongate housing enclosing a portion of said elevated run, means for delivering moist but non-saturated air to said housing, the conveyor also having a downwardly `inclined run leading from said elevated run to a run at working level, and means for stopping racks carried by the conveyor at a predetermined' point in the last named run.

26. Apparatus oit the class described comprising a conveyor for shoe racks having a nrun thereof extending through a conditioning chamber, means for delivering moisture absorbent air to said chamber,'said conveyor also. having an unenclosed Working run eX- tending past a plurality of spaced operators stations, a second conveyor extending along4 the working run of the lirst conveyor, and a stop device arranged at each operators station, the stop devices at alternate stations being associated with the first and second conveyors respectivel v 27. Apparatus of t e class described comprising a conveyor for shoe racks having a run thereof extending through aconditioning chamber, means for deliverin moisture absorbent air to said chamber, sai conveyor also having an: olpen working run disposed at working leve, and a second conveyor parallel and adjacent to the latter runat the lirst conveyor and an abutment associated with the working level run of the first conveyor and engageable with a rack carried by the first conveyor to facilitate transfer of the rack to the second conveyor.

28. Apparatus of the class described comprising a roller conveyor having an open Working run and a run arranged to traverse aconditioning chamber, said conveyor being adapted to convey shoe racks successively through the conditioning `chamber and along said Working run, an operators station adjacent to the working run, and abutment means, stationary relatively to the movement of the conveyor, engageable with a rack carried by the conveyor to bring, the rack to rest at a ators station.

29.\ Apparatus of the class described comprising means providing a predetermined path for shoe racks, housings enclosing spaced portions of said path, means for delivering a conditioning medium to said housings in turn, an operators station intermediate said housings, and means for temporarily bringing to rest a rack moving along path at a point accessible to the operators station.

30. Apparatus of the class described oomprising means providing a predetermined path for'shoe racks, elongate housings enclosing spaced portions of said path, means for withdrawing air from one of .said housings and delivering it to another housing, an operators station adjacent to said path intermediate the housings, an-d means for deflectino' a shoe rack moving along said path to Ibring it temporarily to rest adjacent to the operators station.

31. Apparatus of the class described comprising a roller conveyor for moving shoe racks in a predetermined path, elongate point accessible to the oper-.

housings enclosing spaced portions of said path, means for delivering moisture absorbent air to one of said housings, means for withdrawing air from the latter housing and delivering it to another of the housings, operators stations adjacent to said path at points intermediate the housings, and means at each station for engaging racks moving along said path in order temporarily to bring them to rest `at said stations.

32. Apparatus of the class described comprising a shoe rack conveyor having a pair of spaced elevated runs and an intermediate run at working level, an elongate housing enclosing a portion of each elevated run, the second housing being longer than the rst, means for delivering air to the second housing and for thereafter conducting such air from the second to the first housing, an operators stat-ion adjacent to the intermediate run of the conveyor, and means for temporarily bringing to rest a rack carried by said intermediate run at a point adjacent to the operators station. l

33. Apparatus of the class described comprising a shoe rack conveyor having a pair of spaced elevated runs and an intermediate run at working level, a relatively short housing enclosing a portion only of one of said elevated runs, a housing substantially double the length of the first enclosing the second of said elevatedv runs, means for delivering heated air to the exit end ofthe longer housing and for leading air from the entrance end of the longer housino to the exit end of the shorter housing, and an operators station adjacent to the intermedi ate run of the conveyor.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 14th day of July, 1925.

HAROLD R. PERRY. 

